Creative Writings

Protest movement in Delhi triggered by apathy of state apparatus and brought into question the authority and legitimacy of state in India. Delhi has been under-going massive protests led by young people from all walks of life ever since the horrific incident of rape of young girl and injury to her boy friend took place last week in Delhi by grue-some six men, all of whom are behind the bars now. The girl is said to be critical, but stable and is battling physical injuries as well as mental trauma in the hospital.

It is ironical; the political leaders who claim to be youth icons are hidden in their dungeons are mere spectators to such developments.

The youth across the capital and in major parts of India have taken up the agenda of questioning the authority of state and attacked the basic organ which maintains law and order for the state that is the police. Main demand from the protesting youth is; strict action against the rape accused and security for women in the capital of India.

Hordes of young women and men have geared all across India Gate and other seats from where the political power is exerted by the state. Response from the state has been timid and coercive; this was when the police resorted to tear gas shells and water cannons on agitated protesters. Even though state and its apparatus have condemned this horrify incident and offered strictest action against the rape accused. But the mob fury continues to pour in; I believe stimulus to such sort of protest was provided by Anna Hazare led anti-corruption movement which took place in Jantar Mantar last year.

This sort of protests were not possible earlier, a lot of inspiration has come from the ongoing protests in Egypt, Tunisia, Syria etc and the advent of social technology has stirred up the status-quoits ruling elites and brought them under pressure from the masses on certain specific societal issues which are grave and need immediate attention of state as well as ruling elites.

The demands of the protesters may not represent an organized protest movement, we see people from all walks of life out on roads to protest against such a horrific act, here the important trend to note is tremendous amount of anger, disappointment against the established and democratically elected government in India. Will this result in popular revolution? May not be in true Marxian sense, certainly with the advent of technology and other modes of communication as well as prevalence of various interest and pressure groups which question the legitimate authority of the state, such sort of popular movement could emerge in the future.

It is ironical; the political leaders who claim to be youth icons are hidden in their dungeons are mere spectators to such developments. Opposition political parties want to use this incident to gain political mileage against the ruling party. None of the political party really cares for safety and security of women in the country.

Only statements are to be taken as a guarantee from the state, the latter fails time and again to protect and preserve the rights of its subjects. According to Association of Democratic Reforms, there are six Members of Legislative Assembly have declared to the Election Commission they had charged of rape against themselves. Two members of Parliament had declared they had charged of crimes against women, and in the last five years, 27 candidates have been given ticket by the political parties to fight for elections, even though they have been charged with rape.

In such a scenario, people have lost faith in the political parties and the political system and out on streets to protest against the perversion of democratic values by the political parties too.

Isn’t this shameful for India, on the one hand we project India as the next economic powerhouse in South Asia and on the other side, state of India has never tried to make progress on social reforms front that is critical for any countries progression from developing to developed mode of production. State fails to address the means of production and continues to exert and curb such sort of protest which questions the constitutional authority of the state.

The police and the administrative wing of the govt dont know how to handle the growing protests of its citizens. The rulers are suddenly at loss of words and the best that some can come up with is to condemn the incident. A girl is lying in the ICU on ventilator and the prime minister or his office have not even issued a statement. The apathy displayed is horrific.